Political Wisdom: How to Run Against Sarah Palin

Here’s a summary of the smartest new political analysis on the Web:by Gerald F. Seib and Sara Murray

It’s the question of the hour—maybe the day, week and month—for Democrats: How do you run against Gov. Sarah Palin? Seyward Darby of The New Republic tries to answer by talking to her former Alaska foes. “Indeed, conversations with several of her former opponents–all biased to some extent, as at one time or another they staked their futures in contests against Palin–reveal much about Palin the Candidate. She’s brilliant when flashing a smile, delivering a speech, and connecting with people, but she tends to skirt issues because she rarely has a handle on them. Quick to anger, slow on policy, and accustomed to pandering media, Palin has an Achilles’ heel (or a few) that Democrats could target before Election Day.” Palin’s “key tactic,” one former foe says is “manufacturing drama” in a contest. But other foes, Darby reports, say that “despite her tough persona, Palin takes criticism too personally.” Another noted that “she often has relied on her close staff to answer incisive queries during press conferences–something she won’t be able to do on the 2008 campaign trail.” Still, “the consensus among Palin’s former adversaries is not to underestimate her ferocity.”

Many think the mess on Wall Street helps Sen. Barack Obama, butSlate’s John Dickerson isn’t so sure. “All in all, it adds up to a huge win for Obama, right? Not exactly…For Obama to take advantage of this moment, he has to convince voters he’s going to change their lives. He can’t use it as merely another opportunity to paint (Sen. John) McCain as out of touch.” One Democratic campaign veteran, Dickerson notes, says that “if Obama spends too much time claiming the fundamentals of the American economy are not strong, he risks becoming the candidate of gloom instead of the candidate of hope…” Moreover, “voters have been remarkably forgiving of Republican economic stewardship.” Indeed, Dickerson writes, “Obama can be pushed around on the economy because voters don’t know what he’s for. Yes, he’s for change—but what does that mean when it comes to their daily lives?”

James Pethokoukis of U.S. News and World Report reaches a similar conclusion: McCain’s made it tough to tie President Bush’s problems to him, he writes, and, besides, “it’s tough to directly tie the credit crisis, or the housing crisis for that matter, to anything Bush has done or failed to do. The Federal Reserve, Wall Street, and homeowners all deserve a chunk of the blame. We had a bubble, and it burst.” What’s more, Pethokoukis writes, “in tough times, polls show, people become more skeptical of government. That may hurt Obama, who is proposing more government activism and higher taxes on business, investments, and incomes (at least on the wealthier folks).”

So how exactly do both candidates work the Wall Street disaster to their advantage? Washingtonpost.com’s Chris Cillizza compiles a list of the top five strategies for each candidate. The “Town Hall Tryout,” ranked fourth, is a notable one for Obama. “Obama has largely avoided the sort of town halls that McCain has made his own during this campaign. Pick a series of white working class neighborhoods and set up a series of economic-themed town halls over multiple days. Do more listening than talking. Obama…tends to shy away a bit from the ‘I feel your pain’ politics of Bill Clinton. Suck it up and wade into the crowd. Console people who are struggling, hug folks having hard times. Be, at least for a few days, the consoler in chief.”

For McCain, there were suggestions like “Elevate Economic Gurus” – excluding Phil Gramm. “McCain has a stable of respected economic voices — from former CEOs Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina to two-time presidential candidate Steve Forbes and former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp. McCain needs to flood the zone (with apologies to Howell Raines) with smart voices testifying to his ability to reform the economy and laying out the basic principles of the sort of change — and, importantly, break from the Bush economic policy — that he would offer.”

Comments (5 of 118)

Now McCain Campaign is asking for rules for Palin's debate with Biden.
Rules for Sarah - include scripted interviews, not turning in tax returns, not showing up for troopergate.
Tom Brokaw, Bob Schieffer and Jim Lehrer - we are counting on you to do your job like Charlie Gibson did. There are no rules when someone is running for VP. There were none for Hillary or anyone else.
People lets just call this what it is - a farce. McCain is putting himself first not the country - don't let him fool you.
This is a sad day in America

11:50 pm September 20, 2008

john wrote :

And being willing to get real about the Palin/McCain racism and all of this. I am very worried about this.

A quick story -- S. Palin was at her church awhile back for a program. Part of the program was about God's retribution. The speaker's example was how a palistenain (sp) loaded up a truck with explosives, drove the truck through a check point and then blew the truck up killing some Jews. [That is the tone that he had.]He indicated that it was ok since killing the Jews was retribution and they deserved it since they had not been "converted."

Of coarse McCain said nothing and Palin never got up and left in protest..

Predestinated means this election is over. Governor Palin is the greatest and most important woman God has raised up since Joan Of Arc.
She will be elected Vice-President and then soon be elevated to the Presidency. This magnificent born-again daughter of God will become our greatest President.

10:40 am September 18, 2008

NO OIL? MO TAXES? NO BAMA!!! wrote :

Y-A-H-O-O-G-A-T-E!!!

HACKING EMAIL? SICKENING!

DEMOCRATS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO ATTACK SARAH PALIN.

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Capital Journal is WSJ.com’s unique site for analysis of the political and policy maneuvering in Washington in the era of Barack Obama. It features the Capital Journal columns and occasional other postings by executive Washington editor Gerald F. Seib, and will house Political Wisdom, the Journal’s daily aggregation of the smartest political analysis from around the Internet. Also look for regular columns by Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute and occasional contributions from others.